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TECH NEWS
Castelli Idro jacket - 7.jpgCastelli launches super-lightweight Idro waterproof
Castelli is launching a new Idro waterproof jacket that weighs just 123g and packs down super-small for stowage.
The idea is that it’ll go more or less unnoticed in a jersey pocket until you need proper protection from the rain
“The Gore-Tex Active technology with a new permanent beading surface is an innovative fabric construction that eliminates the textile on the outer face of the fabric, resulting in a two layer fabric that is lighter weight and doesn’t absorb moisture on the outer face,” says Castelli.
As well as being waterproof, Gore-Tex Active products are designed to be extremely breathable.
Check out our jackets reviews here.
The Idro – it translates as hydro – comes in a close cut, designed to avoid billowing, and it boasts a waterproof YKK zip, elastic bindings on the cuffs and hem, and a zipped opening at the back for ventilation and to allow you access to jersey pockets.
Castelli claims a weight of just 123g for a large size and it says that the jacket takes up half a jersey pocket when folded down. That’s seriously lightweight. The Pearl Izumi Elite WxB jacket that we reviewed recently, for comparison, was 211g.
It’s priced £230.
Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.
Latest Comments
- levestane 2 sec ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyhz4q-5NKA gives some options.
- brooksby 14 min 26 sec ago
Why don’t cyclists use the cycle paths? #14,902...
- brooksby 54 min 24 sec ago
Nope - had an urgent appointment with his tax advisor
- brooksby 58 min 19 sec ago
I'm not sure which one of them looks more like a crook…
- OnYerBike 1 hour 31 min ago
It might not be Miche-specific, but across all the thru-axle, disc brake wheelsets in my household (including Hope, DT Swiss and Bitex hubs), none...
- S.E. 3 hours 42 min ago
That made me think of that "Hot Fuzz" comedy movie... so many truths in it.
- Rendel Harris 5 hours 35 min ago
Good to see a V-brake option available for all those people who ride Cosmic Elites with V-brakes...seriously, you must know really that the answer...
- mattw 6 hours 13 min ago
Get thyself over to Buildhub - a community owned forum where I am on the moderation team ("Ferdinand") which is about self-build and renovation....
- Destroyer666 16 hours 17 min ago
Nonono, not those, but those that have constructed Italian cars and motorcycles that have been driven to hundreds of race and championship...
- RoubaixCube 16 hours 25 min ago
This may well be the case although Im unaware of the brands popularity on their home turf. I used to see them being advertised more in the UK...
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5 comments
Howies Helium for me. Packs down small enough to go in a jersey pocket, keeps the rain off and the warmth in. It's not cycling specific, so no strategically-placed zips on the back, but it only cost £25 in the sale.
People of the earth, you have no clue, You still wear cagoules and tennis shoes.
£2 per gram, does it have silver woven into it?
Funnily enough i'm after a rain jacket and have been doing the rounds on google searching for one. Previously had Rapha Rain jacket which had excellent protection but looked a bit crap and then the Castelli Pocket Liner which was fantastic at keeping the rain out but hopeless packing up to keep in the back pocket and was a bit 'boil in the bag' to wear. This looks to be an option but £230 for a Cagoule is gonna hurt.
Need an upgrade from my Castelli Squadra and this looks the ticket. I could wrap myself in kitchen-roll and it'd be more waterproof/breathable/aero.
Goretex Active is a bit poor in my experience. If you roll that jacket up like he has in that picture, you'll wreck the top layer and it'll soak through. You have to treat it delicately, make sure you aren't rubbing any spots when moving or those patches will soak through.
Used Goretex Active for lightweight running and hiking jackets from Mountain Equipment before.. fine for a handful of outings then it's done for. Basically you'll be reproofing after every serious use, especially if you're rolling it up and stuffing into a pocket.
I don't bother now. As long as my jacket is windproof and I have a merino layer on then I'd rather get soaked but stay warm.
Then again, if you're not at that stage yet where you're happy to get wet, and want to try and stay dry with something lightweight.. you don't have a lot of options. GT Active is probably the most breathable out of the available tech.